Veneer drier



Sept; 28 1926.

B. S. HARRISON VENEER DRI ER Hag/1.

Sept. 28 1926. 1,601,623-

' B. s. HARRISON VENEER DRIER AFiled Nov. l2 1924 l5 Sheets-Sheet `5 l//l//larlll//A Y veneer while being conveyed through Patented Sept. 278, 1926.

narran STATES PATENT oFFicE.

BURT S. HARRISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DRYINGSYS'DMS, INC., OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VlllbTElER DRIER.

Application filed November 12, 1924. Serial No. 749,393.

This invention relates to drying apparat-us generally, but more particularly to a suitable means for conveying sheet material, such as veneer, through a drying room. The purpose of the invention is to so support the the drying room that the air has freedom of access to both sidesr of the veneer, and the latter is prevented from warping during 'the drying process. The construction illustrat-ed, and by means of which the invention is practiced, is light and requires comparatively little motion and power in its operation.

The objects of the. invention are accomplished by a construction as illustrated in the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the conveyor with the surrounding` walls shown in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view of the conveyer.

Figures 4 and 5 are details illustrating the method of resiliently supporting the upper sets of veneer engaging bars.

The construction illustrated consists essentially in a plurality of horizontally rlisposed bars of suitable operating means, whereby opposed sets of said bars are caused to alternately grip the veneer passed between said bars, and slowly and continuously carry the veneer through the drying room. These horizontally disposed sets of bars are cai-` ried on frames, one frame being provided for each set of bars, and these frames in turn are supported by elements adapted to raise and lower the said frames as required for grip}; in,f` material operated upon, and means are also provided for reciprocating the frames in the ydirection of length of the drying room for the purpose of transporting the material.

This construction, as illustrated in the drawings, shows 'four sets of horizontally disposed bars numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. The setof bars 1 is carried by lbrackets 5 eX- tending upwardly from cross members 6 of the frame 7. This frame 7 carries casters 8 resting on rails 9. Above the bars 1 are a set of bars 3, loosely or resiliently suported in brackets 10 carried by cross bars 11 of the frame 12. This frame is also sup- -and 4.

ported by casters 13 resting upon rails 14. The rails 9 and 14 are carried by bell crank levers or rocker arms 15, arranged to rock on transverse shafts 16. A slight reciprocation of one of the rails 9 or 14 therefore results in causing the rail to move in an arc around the shaft 16 and through the bell crank lever 15, imparting a similar motion to the other rail. Accordingly, while the pair of rails 9 and the frame vsupported thereon may rise slightly due to this arc motion, the pair of rails 14 and 'the frame 8 supported thereon will at the same time lower. opposite motion is imparted to the frames, trame 7 lowering while frame 12 rises slightly. In this way the two coacting sets of bars 1 and 3 are caused to alternately come` together and grip the veneer and then move apart, releasing the veneer.

This motion is imparted to the rails 9 and 14 by the rotary shaft 32 extending transversely of the drier at one end thereof. This shaft carries eccentrics 17 kor other similar means for regularly reciprocating the rails 9 and 14 in order to impart the desired vertical motion of the frames 7 and 12. For this purpose the eccentric 17 is connected by a pitman 18 with one of the rails. Shaft 32 is continuously driven by a belt driven pulley 19. It also carries an eccentric 2O for imparting a similar motion to the rails 21 and 22. These rails are also supported on bell cranks' 23, and likewise support frames 24 and 25, which through the brackets 26 and 27 support the two sets of rails 2 and 4. The eccentric 2O is similar to the eccentric 17, but is set one hundred and eightly degrees apart from vthe latter so that when the sets of bars 1 and 3 move toward gripping relation the sets of bars 2 and 4 will move away from gripping relation. Shaft 32 also carries means, such as the eccentrics 28, for reciprocating the frames 7 12, 24 and 25. While the pair of frames 7 and 12 are moving on the forward stroke, the frames 24 and 25 will be caused to move rearwardly. The result is that the veneer or other sheet vmaterial while between the bars 1 and 3 and 2 and 4 will be alternately gripped and carriedr forward by the opposed bars 1 and 3and 2 The pressure between the vtwo op- On the reverse stroke of the rail an.

posed sets of bars is determined by either Yand then when these bars release the the weight of the upper bars or spring pressure on these bars. The upper bars are preferably supported in the brackets l0 and 27, as illustrated in Figures 4L and 5. These brackets are provided with vertical slots 29, through which are passed the bars 3 and 4, so as to be free to move relatively of the brackets in a vertical direction. The brackets carry pins 30 extending below pins 3l on the bars. lli/*hen the bars 3 and t come to rest upon the veneer any excess motion of their supports is compensated for by the slots 29.

in the operation of the device, the motor is continuously driven, and through the eccentrics on the driven shaft 32 causes the desired arc motion of the rails 9, la, 2l and 22 in order to raise and lower the frames supported thereon as required for alternately bringing the opposed pairs of bars l and 3 and 2 and et into grippingY relation with the veneer. As soon as two sets of the bars so grip the veneer the cor-v responding` frames are drawn forwardly, veener the remainingl sets of bars 2 and el grip the veneer and are carried forward by the motion imparted to their respective frames, while the frames 7 and l2 are traveling through their return stro re.

rl"he construction shown is compartively light and substantially counter-balanced, the weight of frame 7 and frame 2li and parts carried thereon beingl substantially the same as'the weight of frames l2 and 25 and parts carried thereby. It therefore requires little power to rock the bell cranks l5 together with the rails and'fraines .supported thereon. The longitudinal reciprocation of the frames also does not require much power, since the frames are light and roll along the supporting tracks. The entire structure is housed, as indicated in the drawing, as required for confining the air circulated around the material operated upon.

he veneer gripping elements have been described as bars, although it will be understood that rods or even light wires or cords will be substituted for the bars, depending upon the nature of the material carried by the conveyer.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

l claim:

l. A machine of the class described suitable for conveying` sheet material, comprising opposed sets of horizontally disposed bars, suitable supporting and operating means for said bars whereby7 two opposed sets thereof are caused to move toward each other and engage the material there between and then move in a longitudinal direction to carry the material forward while at the same time other sets .of opposed bars move away from the material and are shifted rearwardly into position to again engage the material and carry it forward, said supporting n'icans comprising frames and tracks upon which said frames are slid, means for reciprocating said frames along said tracks, and means tor imparting an up and down motion to the tracks.

Q. fr machine of the class described suitable for conv ying sheet material, comprisopposed sets of horizontally disposed bars, suitable supporting and operating means for said bars whereby two opposed sets thereof are caused to move toward each other and engage the material there between and then move in a longitudinal direction to carry the material forward while at the saine time other sets of opposed bars move away from the material and are shifted rearwardly into position to again engage the material and carry it forward, said supporting means comprising frames and tracks upon which said frames are slid, means for reciprocating said frames along said tracks, means for imparting an up and down motion to the tracks, and rocker arms for supporting' said tracks.

4th day of No Signed at Chicago this vember, 1924,

BURT S. HARRISON. 

